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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

A Multi-Scale Analysis Of The Effects Of Local- And Landscape-Level Variables On Nuthatch Occupancy And Distribution, Jesse Wood Oct 2013

A Multi-Scale Analysis Of The Effects Of Local- And Landscape-Level Variables On Nuthatch Occupancy And Distribution, Jesse Wood

Earth and Environmental Sciences Presentations

The objectives of this study are to conduct a multi-scale analysis of the effects of habitat variables on Brownheaded Nuthatch (S. pusilla) occupancy and spatial distribution in the greater Greenville area of South Carolina. By understanding the local- and landscape-drivers of an ecologically sensitive species, we can build a predictive model of species occurrence and contribute to regional conservation efforts of both habitat and biodiversity.


Does Pitcher Plant Morphology Affect Spider Residency?, Marc A. Milne, Deborah A. Waller Jan 2013

Does Pitcher Plant Morphology Affect Spider Residency?, Marc A. Milne, Deborah A. Waller

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Spiders are often found as residents in association with Sarracenia purpurea ( Purple Pitcher Plant). Many spiders choose web locations based on environmental cues such as vegetation structure and composition, prey density, temperature, and humidity. To determine if spiders use cues from the Purple Pitcher Plant to build their webs, we conducted a field study using variants of the plant that separated various morphological features: nectar, pigment, and the presence of prey. There was no difference in spider residency across all treatments and no difference in male/female or mature/immature residency. Linyphiids were the most common residents, possibly due to pitcher …


Evaluating The Utility Of Beaver Reintroduction Programs For Enhancing Habitat For Rainbow Trout And Steelhead, Jonathan Rodger Hegna Jan 2013

Evaluating The Utility Of Beaver Reintroduction Programs For Enhancing Habitat For Rainbow Trout And Steelhead, Jonathan Rodger Hegna

All Master's Theses

Beaver reintroduction programs are increasingly being viewed as a way to enhance salmonid habitat and production. However, the actual effectiveness of using beavers as a habitat enhancement tool for ESA listed steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss populations is unknown. We examined the type of habitat, at both the microhabitat and mesohabitat levels, preferred by steelhead in three small streams in the upper Yakima Basin, WA through standard snorkel surveys and habitat measurements. Our results suggest that steelhead in small streams strongly prefer (relative to availability) microhabitats that have deeper water(> 30 cm), slow stream velocities(< 0 .05 mis), and complex cover types. Habitat partitioning among the size-classes (small< 50 mm, medium 50-90 mm, large> 90 mm total length, TL) principally operated …


Winter Habitat Use By Juvenile Greater Sage-Grouse On Parker Mountain, Utah: Implications For Sagebrush Management, Danny Caudill, Terry A. Messmer, Brent Bibles, Michael R. Guttery Jan 2013

Winter Habitat Use By Juvenile Greater Sage-Grouse On Parker Mountain, Utah: Implications For Sagebrush Management, Danny Caudill, Terry A. Messmer, Brent Bibles, Michael R. Guttery

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) are entirely dependent on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) for food and cover during winter. Loss or fragmentation of important wintering areas could have a disproportionate affect on population size. We radio-marked and monitored 91 juvenile sage-grouse in south-central Utah from 2008 to 2010. Thirty-four individuals survived to winter (January to March) and were used to evaluate winter habitat use. Resource use was calculated using kernel density estimation of radio-marked individuals and compared to available habitat using a G-test. We found that juvenile sage-grouse used winter habitats characterized by 0 to 5% slopes …


Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts Jan 2013

Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native stream fish zoogeography has changed substantially across North America during the last century as habitat degradation, stream fragmentation and introductions of nonnative species have led to numerous extinctions, extirpations and altered distributions. Insufficient information regarding imperiled species often results in reactive, rather than proactive, management, and knowledge of species status and ecology is critical in identifying conservation priorities. South Dakota populations of three dace species (northern redbelly dace Chrosomus eos, finescale dace Chrosomus neogaeus, and pearl dace Margariscus margarita) are relict of Pleistocene Glaciation and are isolated from the northern core of their distribution, but little information exists regarding …